1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a case frame defining outer surface of a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to an input/output hall structure (or space structure) for a sound device in a portable terminal that provides an elegant appearance and facilitates the input and output of sound.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable terminals such as cellular phones, etc. have gone from being luxuries to becoming necessities in our lives, and their popularity is worldwide. Users can acquire various visual information, sound information, etc. through the portable terminals. Manufacturers are endeavoring to meet users' every increasing requirements that with each advancement increases a level of dependence of users on such portable terminals. The portable terminal provides various multimedia functions such as Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) viewing, the wireless Internet, etc. besides a basic telephone function.
More particularly, the portable terminal includes a variety of sound devices for inputting or outputting sound at a time when the telephone and multimedia functions are enabled. The portable terminal typically includes a hole in a case frame defining outer surface of the portable terminal to input/output sound to/from the sound device, such sound device typically being a transducer.
FIG. 1 illustrates a hall structure for inputting/outputting sound about a sound device of a portable terminal according to the conventional art. Hereinafter, the hall structure will be substantially considered as a space structure to flow a sound.
Referring now to FIG. 1, the portable terminal typically includes a receiver for outputting voice at the time of a call with a called party, and a microphone for inputting voice. Further, the portable terminal includes a speakerphone for outputting a high quality of sound at the time of execution of a multimedia function. Also, in recent years, the portable terminal includes a separate microphone for capturing ambient noise besides the microphone for inputting the user's voice, thus being capable of acquiring a higher quality of user's voice. Commonly, each of the sound devices are installed close to a user's mouth or ear at a time a user makes a call. Accordingly, it can be said that the construction position of the sound devices is limited to some degree. Also, the sound device (e.g., the receiver, the microphone, the speakerphone, etc.) has a hall structure 10 for inputting/outputting sound through each of holes 12, 13, and 14 that are exposed and provided in a case frame 11 of the portable terminal. Thus, when more sound devices are constructed, the portable terminal should construct as many input/output holes as the number of the sound devices in the case frame defining outer surface of the portable terminal. All of these holes makes are unsightly and detracts from the appearance of the portable terminal. Also, when a corresponding hole is blocked because of user's carelessness, etc., the portable terminal cannot input/output sound as it was designed.